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Polish gov't says European Parliament's resolution result of opposition activities

Xinhua, April 14, 2016 Adjust font size:

The resolution of the EU Parliament is an effect of the opposition parties' activity, the Polish government spokesman Rafal Bochenek said on Wednesday, adding that the Constitutional Tribunal crisis should be solved within the country.

On Wednesday, the European Parliament adopted a resolution voicing "serious concern" over the "effective paralysis" of Poland's Constitutional Tribunal.

According to the EU Parliament, this situation endangers the rule of law, democracy and human rights in Poland.

The resolution, presented by five political groups, passed on Wednesday with 513 votes in favour, 142 against and 30 abstentions.

Bochenek said,"We believe it is a political dispute, which should be solved by the Parliament. Therefore, we passed Venice Commission's opinion to the Parliament so that deputies and specialists could work out a solution. This resolution is an effect of the opposition parties'activity."

He added that the opposition should be more constructive and hold dialogues, instead of taking Polish internal matters abroad.

The spokesman also said that the resolution did not see the conciliation activities held in the Sejm, the lower house of the Polish parliament.

Marek Kuchcinski, marshal of the Sejm, said that the Polish authorities acted on the basis of Polish law and constitution.

"The country authorities believe that decisions made by the Sejm in December last year are valid,"said Kuchcinski,"We receive attentively any information from our friends, international institutions. We are willing to get acquainted with it."

Earlier this month, Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjoern Jagland and Vice President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans both paid a visit to Poland, checking on the progress in solving Constitutional Tribunal crisis which began in October 2015.

The appointments and amendments passed by the ruling Law and Justice party to the Constitutional Tribunal law caused domestic protests and were criticized by representatives of the European Union, including the Venice Commission.

The Constitutional Tribunal rejected the controversial changes on March 9, but this ruling has not been officially published by Prime Minister Beata Szydlo who claims the decision is invalid. Endit